Throughout history, when one king defeated another, the victor required the vanquished king and his surviving armies to renounce all other allegiances and swear unconditional loyalty to him and his kingdom. We read of one such instance in 1 Kings 20:1-4. Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, and thirty-two other kings gathered their armies together and besieged Samaria. Ben-hadad sent messengers to Ahab the king of Israel in the city, and said to him, "'So says Ben-hadad, Your silver and your gold are mine, and your wives and your sons, the best, are mine.' And the king of Israel answered and said, 'According to your word, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.'"
These
words of Ahab depict the degree of surrender required to answer Christ's call
and enter the Kingdom of God. When Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God, He
issued a call that required no lesser surrender, demanding the radical
renunciation of all that you are and possess. It also requires a radical
response to heed the radical call of the King of kings. Jesus was absolutely
brutal and unwavering about the requirements of following Him and be HIS
disciple. He made no exceptions.
And
yet today, we Christians glibly parrot the words "I am following Jesus, I
am a follower of Christ!" We sing of our devotion to Christ, "I
have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to
follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back . . ." and yet we seem
unsure of what these words really mean. To some following Christ is attending
Church and paying tithe. To others it is blind submission to a Church hierarchy.
To others it may mean something different, whatever their concept of holiness
may be. But what does it really
mean to answer Christ's radical call, "Follow Me"?
When
Jesus first began His earthly ministry. he issued a radical call to twelve men.
That call was no less radical than the one Ben-hadad issued to Ahab and clearly
represents Christ's call to every believer. We can learn much by considering
these individuals Christ gave this invitation to, and pondering how radical it
was for them to immediately drop everything and follow Him. This kind of utter
detachment and abandonment stumbles the western mind. From a twenty-first
century theological perspective, this borders on irresponsibility and
fanaticism. The very Idea that men
would leave their trades, wives and children to follow someone who had no place
to lay His head, defies all the western values that Americanized Christianity
holds dear and dutiful.
For
instance, two fishermen, Simon Peter and Andrew his brother, were casting a net
into the Sea of Galilee when Jesus came walking by. Jesus said to them, "Follow
me, and I will make you fishers of men." Without questioning, they
IMMEDIATELY left their nets and followed him. Really! How strange is this? Going
on from there, Jesus saw two other brothers, James and John in a boat with their
father Zebedee, mending their nets, getting ready for the next day's catch. The
scripture says "He called them." Is that it? He simply called them?
He didn't reveal the whole counsel of God, give an altar call, or ask for a show
of hands? He called them? What was their response to this simple and yet radical
call? "They IMMEDIATELY left the boat and their father, and followed Jesus
(Matthew 4:18), not for a day, not for a week, not for a month but for three
years. Put yourself in their place. Ask yourself; "Is my commitment to
Christ this radical?"
Then
there was Matthew sitting at the local Internal Revenue office, collecting taxes
from his fellow Jews for the Roman government. Jesus said to Matthew,
"Follow me." What did Matthew do? "He got up and followed
him." (See Matthew 8:8). What irresponsibility! He had a government job
with all the perks! His future was guaranteed, and he left it all for a life of
uncertainty.
The
same thing happened to Philip. "The following day Jesus wanted to go to
Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, 'Follow Me.'" (John 1:43,
NKJV).
Perhaps
the answer to this mysterious selection process is found in Jesus' words,
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27). These men may not have fully known who
Jesus was at first but Jesus knew them and that they were chosen by the Father.
They also recognized His voice as that of the Good Shepherd and followed Him.
Another
who desired to follow Christ asked that he be allowed to fulfill his
responsibility to his family by first going and burying his father. "Lord,
let me first go and bury my father." What was Jesus' response to this
grieving man's request? Surely such a circumstance would merit an exception. Not
so! Seemingly defying all social protocol this Radical from Nazareth replied,
"Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead" (Matthew 8:22) "but
you go and announce the Kingdom of God" (Luke 9:60).
Can
you put yourself in this man's place? Here you are among fellow believers and
you go to the "head pastor" of your church and say, "I need you
to excuse me from my place on the ministry team this Sunday. My Father in
California has just died." What would you think of this man if he replied
to you, "Let your dead unsaved relatives put him in the ground. You are not
excused." How would this sit with you? I can tell you that a pastor with
this attitude would soon have no flock in today's church.
Another
said, "I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow me to bid farewell to
those who are at my house." But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit
for the Kingdom of God" (Luke 9:61-62).
Wow!
Do these demands seem a bit unreasonable to you? Surely we should honor our
earthly fathers enough to give them a proper funeral? Don't we owe it to our
families to at least tell them "goodbye" before disappearing from
their lives?
Then there was the rich young
ruler who ran to Jesus, knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher,
what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him,
"Why do you call me good? No one is good except one--God. You know the
commandments: 'Do not murder,' 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not
give false testimony,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and mother.'"
The rich young ruler answered, "Teacher, I have observed all these things
from my youth." Jesus looking at him
loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you
have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come,
follow me, taking up the cross" (See Mark 10:17-21).
Because
Jesus loved he issued The Radical Call - requiring the one thing lacking. He
looked upon him and loved him and that love required that he expose that one
weight of earthly responsibility that so easily beset him. What utter disregard
for this man's financial responsibilities! Sell all and give to the poor?
Couldn't this money be better spent to support missionaries, apostles and
prophets as they traveled around preaching the kingdom? How irresponsible is it
to give away all this money when it could be used to further the gospel.
What
would you think if you went to join a church and the pastor asked what kind of
life you were living? You assure him that you are in good standing with God, but
then he tells you if you were really perfect you would give all you have to the
poor and come and follow him. What audacity! We can understand a man requiring
you to give all to HIS ministry if you were to join it, but to give all you have
to those wretched poor who most likely would have squandered it all in a week or
two, never! But this was the very test that this rich young ruler was required
to pass. He failed it miserably, and went away sad.
We
wonder just how many would also fail such a test in today's church system. Jesus
told him, "Yet, one thing you lack. . ." What is our "one thing
lacking"? That is what Jesus went after in each of these cases and He has
not changed. Today we are being tested just like they as to whether WE are
worthy of His kingdom.
Art
Katz wrote in the forward to his book, The Spirit of Truth:
How is it that a phenomenon whose origin is heavenly and was purchased at such a cost should become, by our generation, so melancholy a culture? I was brought one Sunday morning, free from any commitment of my own, to enjoy the luxury of hearing another preacher. I went tripping as a doe, full of delight and anticipation, buoyed by the lavish praise for the minister as a preacher of the Word by the brother who escorted me.
I
was seated in the balcony of the crowded church attentive and waiting but not a
little disturbed by the contrasting groups around me. On the one hand, the
audience included clusters of giddy teenagers round about. On the other hand I
was struck by the air of religious stiffness and joylessness in the adults. I
endeavored to throttle my jaundiced subjectivity, not wanting in any way to
allow it to impinge upon the preached word now beginning to come forth. As the
message unfolded, I could readily understand the enthusiasm for the preacher
which my companion held. The words were clear, pointed, correct. But what then
was this strange uneasiness rising in my soul that with every word intensified
'till finally my innards were knotted in an inexplicable anguish?
At
last I realized my dilemma: My mind was approving the outward biblical and
doctrinal correctness of the word preached, but my soul was recoiling at the
spirit of the speaking which contradicted it's every syllable! We were with the
one enjoined to radical commitment and sacrifice, while the other was saying,
"No need to panic; this needn't be taken seriously--remember, this is
only a sermon. I'll provide a biblical message weekly and you provide for my
personal security and well-being. I won't push you and you don't push me, and
we'll get along famously."
In
that moment the realization was birthed in me, (should I have not long before
seen it?) that the truth is the whole
truth and nothing but the truth, that the spirit of the one speaking--the
constitution and grit of the person--must be in complete agreement with the
words of the one speaking or it is a LIE. The devastating words of the widow of Zarephath to the prophet Elijah pierce me still: "Now by this I know that
thou art a man of God, and that the words of the Lord in thy mouth is
truth." (1 Kings 17:24)
It is one thing to speak the
words of Christ and preach from the Bible, yet it is a whole other thing to
speak from a life within that is in agreement with the one who wrote the
scriptures. Is it any wonder that today's ministries lack what the early
apostles had? Of them it was said, "With great power the apostles gave
witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus."
One
time I, Michael, was hoping to go and work in Guatemala full time among the
widows and orphans. The need was great what with all the civil war and strife
that had been going on in that country. I had already been down there twice
before, but back home I had a house payment to make every month, a wife and kids
that did not share my vision, and a church that was not willing to support such
a venture. After all, if a man does not support his family he is worse than an
infidel, right? As I pondered these things and mulled-over these excuses, the
Lord gave me a passage of scripture to also consider.
Then He said to him, "A
certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper
time to say to those who were invited, `Come, for all things are now ready.' But
they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, `I have
bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me
excused.' And another said, `I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to
test them. I ask you to have me excused.' Still another said, `I have married a
wife, and therefore I cannot come.' So that servant came and reported these
things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his
servant, `Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in
here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'
And the servant said, `Master, it is done as you commanded, and still
there is room. Then the master said to the servant, `Go out into the highways
and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say
to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"
(Luke 14:16-24, NKJV).
I
had bought my ground (my house), I had car payments to make (my oxen to prove),
I had married a wife and now had kids to support. Surely the Lord of Mercy would
understand! I think He understood alright. He understood that a man cannot
serve two masters. When the Lord speaks to us in these terms, we should at least
be humbled and start to set our lives in order according to His idea of what
ORDER is.
Who
Do You Love?
Many
a person has heard the call of God, but not followed because they feared
disappointing their parents who had designs on their futures, perhaps to take
over the family business or become a doctor or a lawyer, thus fulfilling their
own childhood aspirations. You guessed it, Jesus even had something to say about
this.
"He
who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves
son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his
cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose
it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 10:37-39,
NKJV).
On
another occasion, while Jesus was teaching in a house His mother and brothers
stood outside "and sent to Him calling Him." Mark records that "a
multitude was sitting around him when messengers told Him, "Behold, your
mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for you." (Mark
3:32) He answered them, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" Looking
around at those who sat around him, He said, "Behold, my mother and my
brothers! For whoever does the will of God, the same is my brother, and my
sister, and mother." (See Mark 3:33-35)
Neither
Mark nor Matthew give any indication in their accounts of this event that Jesus
ever went out to see His relatives. He evidently left them standing outside. He
simply turned to the multitude around Him and said, "Behold, my mother and
my brothers!" By today's Christian standards, to ignore your parents in
such a manner is disrespectful and rude. Christ's devotion to the will of His
heavenly Father superceded all earthly loyalties and responsibilities, and in
that He was radical indeed. His life and devotion to the Father fully
exemplified the radical-ness of the call that He issued to others. He also
required this same radical abandonment in those who would follow Him.
Many
of us have gone on to find our lives and make something of ourselves at the bidding of our
parents, all the while ignoring the commandment of the Lord to follow Him. What
a loss! All because of this radical call, we deem Christ too extreme, too
demanding. So we settle for an existence that is less than perfect as we join
the flow of American mediocrity with our house in the suburbs, our two new cars,
color TVs and home entertainment systems, hot tubs, and all the creature
comforts of this world that we can or cannot afford.
As
a result of this, so many of us in this same boat form clubs of like souls who
have not followed on to know the Lord and we call these organizations
"churches." We hire men who will tell us we are doing the right thing,
who are willing to scratch our ears, teaching nothing beyond the general and
predictable level of commitment that each group has deemed to be reasonable and
therefore correct. We call these teachers,
pastors. No, this is NOT the church of Jesus Christ, who by definition are
His called out ones. The bar of
Christian commitment has been lowered so far that you have to scuff your feet to
stub your toe on it. The Radical Call cannot be demanded by anyone but Christ,
yet religious man is intent on watering it down to make things comfortable and
palatable for all. After all, if we were to preach the same radical message that
Jesus preached, how would we ever fill our impressive church buildings and pay
our pastors' big salaries? We must be practical here!
Today we are considered saved if we sit in a padded pew while the man up front
gives an altar call that is no more inconvenient than secretly slipping one hand
in the air. Least anyone is embarrassed by our public display of loyalty to
Christ; the rest of the faithful close their eyes and bow their heads, no one
looking around. If THIS is indicative of the level of our commitment, no wonder
that the divorce rate, crime rate, drug and alcohol abuse, etc, statistics among
Christians in America match that of the un-churched. It takes a radical
commitment and conversion to walk a life that is beyond the downward pull of
this world system. If we are to live as citizens of another kingdom that is not
of this world, we must first take a step that is as radical as putting a man on
Mars. We must boldly go where the nominal believers dare not venture.
This Radical Call is well
depicted in John Bunyan's classic, Pilgrim's
Progress. A man, later called Christian,
stood crying, looking around as though he could not tell which way to go. A man
named Evangelist came to him, and
asked why he was crying.
Christian
answered, "Sir, I perceive by the book in my hand, that I am condemned to
die, and after that to come to judgment; and I find that I am not willing to do
the first, nor able to do the second."
Then Evangelist gave him a parchment roll, with the words "Flee from the wrath to come" written within it. After reading this, Christian asked, "Where must I fly?"
Evangelist: (pointing with his
finger over a very wide field said, to Christian) "Do you see yonder wicket
gate?" (Matthew 7:14)
Christian: "No."
Evangelist: "Do you see
yonder shining light?" (Psalm 119:105; 2 Peter 1:19)
Christian: "I think I
do."
Evangelist: "Keep that
light in your eye, and go up directly thereto; so shalt thou see the
gate…"
The man began to run toward
the light, but he had not run far from his own door before his wife and children
perceived it and began to beg him to return. Refusing to look behind him and
putting his fingers in his ears, Christian ran towards the middle of the plain,
crying, "Life! Life! Eternal life!"
His neighbors also came out to
see him run. Some mocked, others
threatened, and some cried after him to return.
Two even followed him, determined to fetch him back by force. The name of
the one was Obstinate and the other Pliable. Finally they caught up with him.
Christian asked them why they had come. "To persuade you to go back with
us," they replied.
This
dream (as Bunyan called it) demonstrates the struggle all believers face as they
set out to follow Christ. The decision to follow Christ in such a radical
abandonment is viewed by the world as madness and by today's church as
fanaticism. The obsession to run after and bring such demented ones back is
driven by the prudent, balanced and wise voices of Christian mediocrity.
The
Seemingly Irresponsible Teachings of the Radical Christ
Early in my (George) walk with
Christ, in my childish faith, I didn't know any better than to read the words of
Christ and take them literally. When I read, " whoever strikes you on your
right cheek, turn to him the other also," I thought that was what it really
meant. Silly me. Before long I learned that Jesus' words needed to be
interpreted and made contemporary. These
simple words were not as easy to understand as I first thought. I soon learned
that it sometimes took three hours to explain what Jesus said in three seconds.
Things were much more complicated than I thought. So off to Bible school I went
to learn how to arrive at a balanced perspective. Who knows, I might have done
something radical or even irresponsible if I didn't learn how to interpret
these difficult teachings of Christ.
There I sat in the classroom
and sure enough, someone asked the Professor a profound question, "When
Jesus said, 'Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to
borrow from you' (Matthew 5:42), what did He mean?" Surly He didn't mean,
"Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow
from you"? An anticipatory hush fell over the student body, as the
all-knowing Professor set out to explain the qualification and responsibilities
that the one asking must meet before another should give to them. I had no idea
that there was so much involved. Certainly it would be irresponsible to give to
someone without knowing the extenuating circumstances. Would they be responsible
with the gift? So it was that I
learned how to interpret the coded language of Christ. You take His words and
interpret your wants and desires into them, under the guise of prudence and
responsibility.
Christ's
Utter Disregard For Sound Financial Principles
There is much talk in
Christendom today about "sound biblical financial principles." There
is much talk about "grounded principles and solid practical advice so you
can plan for a secure future, get out or stay out of debt, and enjoy freedom
that comes from having your financial house in order." They talk about
"stewardship and financial security, understanding wise money management
skills, investing to maximize results, avoiding financial disaster, retiring
with a comfortable lifestyle," and so forth.
This
is the language of Wall Street, not the Via De La Rosa.
One
day while Jesus was teaching His disciples one of the multitude that had also
gathered around said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the
inheritance with me." That sounds reasonable, doesn't it? It is only right
that this man should receive his share of the inheritance. Surely Christ would
take the time to correct this injustice. But no, it seemed that Jesus didn't
even see this man's plight but looked beyond to a greater problem. Jesus said to
him, "Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?" Then Jesus
turned to His disciples and the rest of multitudes around Him and said to them,
"Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man's life doesn't
consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses."
Then
He spoke a parable to them, saying,
"The ground of a certain
rich man brought forth abundantly. He reasoned within himself, saying, 'What
will I do, because I don't have room to store my crops?' He said, 'This is what
I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will
store all my grain and my goods. I will tell my soul, "Soul, you have many
goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry."'
"But God said to him, 'You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of
you. The things which you have prepared--whose will they be?' So is he who lays
up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:16-21)
In America soundness of
responsibility is measured by the size of one's barns, the extent of his
portfolio, the size of his bank account and whether it can be said of him,
"He is a success." This preoccupation with mammon is also rampant in
the American churches, which are modeled after American big business. And the
Americanized gospel is a mixture of America's corporate values and the
Judeo-Christian ethic. Even the American churches have adopted this measure of
success and respectability. As a result, many ministers have taken on the flavor
of the motivational-speakers of corporate America, speaking more of success and
money than of the risen Lord, making wealth the proof of your godliness. They
teach that if you have great faith you will have great wealth. Hence they
constantly tear down their barns and build bigger and more extravagant ones, to
lay up many goods for many years. In corporate America, bigger is always better,
but not so in the kingdom of God.
One such well-known Christian
financial counselor wrote,
"Can
you imagine retiring with a nest egg of $1 million? It may seem excessive but,
actually, it's not unrealistic. Consider that 30-year Treasury Bonds currently
yield about 5.7 percent interest. If you invested $1 million at 5.7 percent
interest, you'd receive annual income of $57,000 or $4,750 per month. That may
be more income than you'd need if you retired today, but consider the
impact
of inflation over time. Currently, inflation is about 2 percent, but it wasn't
too long ago when inflation was much higher. And we may see higher inflation
rates in the future.
Let's
assume a long-term inflation rate of 3 percent per year. If we discount an
income of $4,750 per month beginning 10 years from now at 3 percent inflation,
it is equivalent to $3,520 per month today, or $42,000 per year. If you plan to
retire in 20 years with an income of $4,750 per month, it is equivalent to
$2,609 per month today, or $31,000 per year. Thus, due to inflation and the very
real income needs you will have in the future, it is not unreasonable at all to
have a nest egg of at least $1 million.
Many
people may believe that accumulating $1 million in savings and investments is
impossible. However, it's very possible!
Let's
assume that you can earn 10 percent on your investments. This is based on the
fact that the returns of large capitalization stocks over the last 70 years have
averaged in the range of 10 percent to 11 percent. If your investments are in a
taxable account, then you must earn more than 10 percent in order to net 10
percent after taxes. Assuming you're starting from scratch, the chart on this
page shows how much you’ll have to save each month at 10 percent interest in
order to accumulate $1 million by age 65. As you can see, the earlier you start,
the less you'll have to set aside each month."
Regardless of Christ's
teachings regarding the foolishness and danger of storing up and trusting in
riches, such teaching is common in Christendom today. This may sound like sound
financial counseling and may even work, because you get what you seek. You have
your reward, but the real issue here is where our hearts are.
Where our treasures are, THERE our hearts will be also.
Now compare the sound financial teachings of Jesus Christ to HIS disciples.
"THEREFORE
I tell you, don't be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your
body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body is more than
clothing. Consider the ravens: they don't sow, they don't reap, they have no
warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than
birds! Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height? If then you
aren't able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest?
Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin; yet I
tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But
if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists, and
tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of
little faith? Don't seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be
anxious. For the nations of the world
seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these
things. But seek God's Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you."
What kind of hippy attitude is
Jesus teaching here? He seems to be rejecting the moorings of established
society. Isn't it ambition that drives a healthy economy? We should not forget
who Jesus is teaching here! He is teaching the poor how to get ahead. His sound
financial advice to them was, "Take no thought for your life." But
hang on to your hats folks! It gets more radical from here!
"Don't
be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the
Kingdom. Sell that which you have, and
give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don't grow old, a
treasure in the heavens that doesn't fail, where no thief approaches, neither
moth destroys. For where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also."
(See Luke 12:13-40)
Let's see if we have this
correct thus far. Jesus is telling the multitudes (Greek ochlas--those with no titles of positions) to take no thought for their lives, and
then he tells them to take what precious little they have, sell it and give it
to those more needy than themselves.
The parable of the unjust
steward (Luke 16:1-14) points to the need of the believer to use the unrighteous
mammon at his disposal to buy "friends
that can receive him into everlasting habitations." We as Christians should
be doing the same with those things that we call our own by lessening the
burdens of those who are weighed down in this world.
Have you ever noticed that the
ones who are the most generous are the ones who have little? I, Michael, spent
some time in Guatemala and I have never seen such poverty, yet such giving
hearts as I saw in those people. It taught me what Jesus meant when He said,
"Blessed are the poor." James warned, "Do you not know that it is
the rich who exploit you?" How many of us will stand before God and find
that we have no friends on the other side to receive us because we were not rich
toward God by helping the poor, the widows and the orphans? Instead we have
already had our reward in THIS life, because we spent all our lives pleasing our
own flesh with the resources God put us in charge of.
How
much of our lives are spent in finding our lives? Do we in the American church
really live like our REAL lives are in heavenly places in Christ? If so, then
why have we and our churches spent so much to store up so much in this life? A
mere hundred years ago, the American church was spending great amounts on
foreign missions. Not so today. We leave it all to governmental organizations to
do that and thus the Gospel of Christ is not being manifest in the world.
Many
years ago I, Michael, was on a church board of deacons. I took the position that
was offered because I had a heart for foreign missions and that church was known
to spend 30% of its budget on reaching out to the lost in foreign lands. Almost
as soon as I accepted the part, the pastor started coming to our deacons'
meetings and asking us to cut back our donations to mission work and start
earmarking more of the church income for "building-up the base." You
guessed it. It was not long before the missions budget was cut to less than 10%,
the food bank was designated for members only, and many other self-centered
programs were instated. I resigned in disgust halfway through my two-year term.
For there to be a radical call
to a lost and dying world, there must once again be RADICALS doing the calling,
just as Jesus called. You cannot preach a radical gospel from a padded pulpit
to people sitting in padded pews, while you wear your three piece, silk- lined
Armani worsted wool suit. All the while your parishioners are checking their
Rolex watches to see how much longer your canned sermon will last. Does anyone
see the irony in all this that calls itself the church? As the singer, Ray
Stevens, so aptly observed, "Would Jesus wear a Rolex on His television
show?" Too many have the attitude of a small-time evangelist that I
(Michael) once knew. As he belched after a big meal and patted his bulging
belly, he observed, "Yup! This forsaking all is really where it's
at."
Now let us say in conclusion
that we (George and Michael) are required to be just as ruthless with our
carnality as we are at pointing out the flesh of today's ministers and the
fallen state of the church. God is requiring of us the same radical call. I
(Michael) remember how surprised I was when I prophesied something to a local
church and found out that God was first requiring it of ME! Judgment first
begins in the house of the prophet, then the family of God and finally it goes
out to the world.
Please hear our hearts here.
We are not throwing stones from our lofty ivory towers. We are just two brothers
in Christ who desire to see God's glory fill the earth. We also desire that all
flesh offering resistance to this (including our own) would be burned away by
the fire of God's Spirit. We understand that the manifold wisdom of God cannot
be made known except by the Ekklesia.
This wisdom is rarely seen today, for today's church has lost its salt, it
radical-ness, its otherworldliness. Many are beginning to see the need for the
restoration of the primitive Church" and are heralding a cry of return to
Radical Christianity. This all seems right and true, but understand this: you
cannot have radical Christianity without radical Christians and you cannot have
radical Christians without a Radical Call! You may recapture the primitive
pattern, but if you lack the primitive abandonment and sacrifice that the early
Church possessed, you still have nothing that would set you apart from any other
worldly institution. You may have radical programs, a radical worship team, a
radical youth group, but without a radical severing from the things of this
world in your life and a wholehearted clinging to the Kingdom of God, all you've
got is empty religion.
Those who truly follow Jesus
will not find themselves welcome among the religious institutions controlled by
men, any more than He was welcome among the religious institutions of 2000 years
ago. The Radical Christ still calls us from outside the camp. Will we take up
our crosses and go out to meet Him, bearing His reproach? Are we willing to pay
the price?
12
Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood,
suffered outside the gate.
13 Hence, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is
to come. (Hebrews 13:12-14, NASB).